Match package



A. B. LINKER MATCH PACKAGE March 3, 1936.

Original Filed July 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l fibmham 45. Z/hkef" 1 I,l, fi/forney.

Marsh 3,1936. A B, LINKER 2,032,661

MATCH PACKAGE Original Filed July 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedMar. 3, .1936

UNITED STATES MATCH PACKAGE Abraham B. Linker, Philadelphia, Pa.

Refiled for abandoned application,

552,586, July 23, 1931.

Serial No. This application May 3,

1935, Serial No. 19,686

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in match packages andparticularly to book match packages made of paper or cardboard andadapted for advertising purposes.

The usual packages of paper book matches used for advertising purposesis quite bulky, due to the arrangement of a double or triple row ofmatches arranged with the heads all on the same ends of the sticks andthe heads of the several rows of matches arranged in adjacent relation.The bulkiness of the packages makes the matches undesirable to manypersons and thus reduces the value of the package as an advertisingmedium. Despite the bulkiness of the usual match package only a smallnumber of matches are contained therein.

The shape of the present match package is also not suited to general useand is undesirable particularly because removal of some of the matcheschanges the shape of the package, while the arrangement of the matchsheets with contacting match heads causes deterioration of the heads andmay even lead to fire hazards. All of the above disadvantages greatlyreduce the value of the match packages which is the major use made ofsuch matches.

It is, therefore, among the objects of the present invention to providea match package in which the bulkiness previously thought unavoidablewill be eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a match package inwhich a greater number of matches may be contained in the spaceheretofore required for a small number of matches.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a match package inwhich the matches will be so arranged as to produce a package of regulargeometrical form.

Another object of the invention is to produce a match package in whichremoval of some of the matches will not substantially change thedesirability of the package or impair the display of advertisingthereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a match package in whichthe match sticks are so formed that a strip of matches does not occupy amaterially greater space than was occupied by the paper strip from whichthe match sticks are formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a match package in whichthe head of each match is protected by unimpregnated portions of thesticks of adjacent matches.

Objects and advantages, other than those above set forth, will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an elongated book of matches with thecover opened and showing the alternating arrangement of the heads of thematches of a single sheet or leaf,

Figure 2 is a cross-section of Figure 1 taken on the line AA thereof,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a package of matches with the coveropen and showing a match leaf or sheet similar to that shown in Figure 1but more nearly of the dimensions of the book,

Figure 5 is an end view of a book of matches, such as shown in Figure 4,with the cover closed,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a book of matches such as shown inFigures 4 and 5, but showing the cover opened and one leaf of thematches folded back, and

Figure 7 is a front View of a book of matches showing an alternate formof match leaf formed of two symmetrical sections.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numerals H! and H designate thefront and back exterior leaves forming the cover of the book or packageof matches. Such cover l0, H is preferably made of heavy paper orcardboard and is adapted to bear printed matter or to be otherwiseformed to furnish an advertising display. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and3, a single leaf H of matches may be secured within each cover or, asshown in Figures 5 and 6, a plurality of leaves l3, l4, l5, to, El, it,it, and 28 may be secured within each cover.

Each sheet of matches is formed from a leaf of properly treated materialby cutting or punching the leaf or sheet into strips as at 26, 21, and28 without however, completely severing the strips from the sheets.Alternating strips are then out free from each leaf or sheet at the sameend and the free ends of the strips are dipped or otherwise treated tosecure formation thereon of the heads. Thus the strips 26 and 28 remainfastened at the same end to the leaf and have the heads 36 and 32 formedthereon, whereas strip 21 remains attached to the opposite side of theleaf and has head 3! formed thereon. It will be seen that the heads ofthe matches do not contact and, because a slight recess is formed fromthe adjacent strip for each head, the completed leaf of matches is butslightly thicker than the original sheet of match stick material. Acrease or a slight cut as indicated as at 34 is made in the continuousedge of each leaf opposite each match head to facilitate removal of theseparate matches. When but a single leaf of matches is placed withineach cover, the leaf is preferably fastened along the edges by staplesor other suitable means as indicated at in Figure 1, but when aplurality of leaves are placed within a cover, the leaves arenecessarily fastened at the ends thereof as shown at 36 in Figure 4.

If it is desirable for the purposes of ease in manufacturing, to avoidbending of the match sticks during the head forming operation, each leafmay be made as two symmetrical portions shown at 4| and 42 in Figure 7and may then be combined and fastened within the cover to form a singleleaf.

The matches are, of course, of the safety variety and are ignited byrubbing upon a special friction strip attached to the exterior of thecover as is now usual and which is therefore not shown.

. It will be seen that the present match package presents a match bookin which a greater number of matches may be provided in a smaller spacethan was possible heretofore and the dimensions of the package remainuniform even though a portion of the matches are removed therefrom. Theanalogy of the package to a book may be further carried out by printingdirectly on the match sticks as on the leaves of a book, thus producinga novelty of great value in advertising. The head of each match isprotected against contact with the head of another match therebyreducing danger of deterioration thereof and the possibility of a firehazard when in use. The form of the package is such as to render thesame desirable to all persons, hence increasing the value of the packageas an advertising medium.

Although but two embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it

will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or from the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a match package, a sheet of material cut inwardly from one edge toform continuous convolutions, defining adjacent match strips, theopposite ends of adjacent strips being headed and the sheet of materialadjacent said opposite ends being split at the center of said head, andsaid matches and sheet of material forming a unitary structure.

ABRAHAM B. LINKER.

